Colombo, Sri Lanka, April 11, 2023: The National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka celebrated its 86th anniversary last Saturday, April 8.
Established on April 8, 1937, the Sri Lanka NOC is the sixth oldest National Olympic Committee in Asia.
“We are as old as modern Sri Lankan history. We are now 86 years old and still growing. We look to stand together and develop within the Olympic Movement,” noted Sri Lanka NOC President Suresh Subramaniam in the latest edition of the NOC's newsletter GoodSport.
Sri Lanka NOC Secretary General Maxwell de Silva added: “At 86 we are the sixth oldest Olympic collective in Asia. During this time we have grown in prudence and stature, and now it is our turn to prove to the rest of the Olympic world that we are as good on the track and field too.”
In its 86 years, Sri Lanka has won a total of two silver medals and two bronze medals at the Olympics. Both silver medals have come in track and field – Duncan White in the men’s 400m hurdles at the 1948 London Games and Susanthika Jayasinghe in the women’s 200m at the 2000 Sydney Games.
Sri Lanka has participated at every Asian Games since the inaugural one in 1951 New Delhi. The island nation has won a total of 46 medals at the Asian Games – 11 gold medals, 11 silver and 24 bronze.